Wedding planning involves many moving parts, from finding the perfect dress to deciding on the right venue to themes, colors and more. Choosing your wedding food setup is yet another element to consider.
What will it be?
Choosing your wedding food setup requires forethought and planning. Start by asking yourself a few questions. For example, do you have a large budget, with a chunk going to food and entertainment? Is your wedding going to be a smaller, more intimate affair without the need for a big budget?
Then there’s the overall feel you want to create at your wedding, including a memorable guest experience. Will your wedding be more casual, fun and trendy? Or, are you more traditional? Do you want a formal wedding or something in-between?
With those questions in mind, let’s take a closer look at four good options.
Buffet
A catered buffet is an excellent choice for many reasons, including the fact that it gives your guests options. A buffet may also be budget-friendly since it often requires less help for setting up, serving and cleaning up.
Another plus of a buffet-style food setup is that guests tend to take only what they want. However, planning appropriately for the number of guests gets a little trickier with a buffet, which could lead to leftovers.
On the other hand, when your cousin surprises you with a “plus one” on your wedding day, serving an extra guest is easier with a buffet than it would be with a plated meal, for example. Guests will have to wait in line for a buffet, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It gives your guests a chance to talk to each other—and people can eat when they want!
Plated meal
While a plated meal is the more formal choice, it doesn’t have to be stuffy. One of the nice things about a plated meal is that guests are served relatively quickly. A plated meal also offers portion control, which could be cost-efficient.
Foodies are sure to love the pretty presentation plated meals bring to the table, too. But just because they love how it looks, doesn’t mean they will love what’s on the menu, which is one of the challenges when it comes to plated service.
With a set menu, you may not please every guest’s palate. And with a set quantity, those surprise plus ones mean an immediate conversation with the caterer.
Food trucks
This fun trend, once again, gives you and your wedding guests options. It also gives out-of-towners a taste of the local scene. While food trucks do offer a unique experience, be sure to check with your venue before booking them.
DIY
DIY wedding food isn’t short on possibilities. Options range from food stations to no-cook buffets, meals ordered from your favorite restaurant and dishes you make yourself.
Other on-trend DIY wedding food setups include ideas such as dessert bars only or appetizers only. Just make sure your venue is equipped to handle all the storage and setup when it comes to DIY foods.
Summary
Choosing your wedding food setup is one more way to make your wedding day distinctly yours. At Crooked Oaks, we love working with you to make your wedding, or any special event, exactly what you want! Find out how we can help you customize your event and keep reading our blogs for more wedding tips.
